This invention relates to portable toilets and is particularly concerned with a new and improved arrangement for emptying the contents of the holding tank of a portable toilet.
A number of commonly assigned patents disclose portable toilets of the type which comprise a holding tank section and a seat section separably mounted on the holding tank section. The seat section comprises a bowl with a bottom outlet which registers with an opening in the top wall of the holding tank. When the two sections are mounted together the bowl outlet is in sealed relationship with the opening in the top wall of the holding tank. A valve in the holding tank is disposed at the opening and when the valve is operated the contents of the bowl drop into the holding tank. The accumulated contents of the holding tank are dumped from time to time at suitable sanitary disposal stations.
One usual practice has been to provide a threaded boss circumscribing an outlet opening and a threaded cap threaded onto the boss to close the opening. When the contents are to be dumped, the cap is unscrewed and the waste materials poured out.
The present invention is directed to a new and improved arrangement for dumping the contents of the holding tank, and one of its advantages is that the dumping procedure is more convenient and can be accomplished with less concern for back-splashing of the waste discharge.
Further advantages accrue in the disclosed preferred embodiment of the invention in which the improved arrangement comprises a rotatably mounted discharge spout on the exterior of the holding tank one end of which fits into an aperture in the top wall of the holding tank and the other end of which is closed by a removable cap. The aperture is located at one corner of the top wall of the holding tank and the end of the discharge spout which fits into the aperture comprises a key. A mating key is provided on the aperture, and the keys are constructed such that the spout can be inserted into and removed from the aperture only in one rotational position. The spout may be rotated about the axis of the aperture away from said one position over a range of positions in which the inter-engaged keys prevent separation of the spout from the holding tank. The holding tank comprises side walls which meet at the corner of the top wall containing the aperture, these side walls being generally at a right angle to each other. The aperture key is arranged such that the spout can be inserted into and removed from it with the spout overlying the top wall and disposed generally parallel to one of these two side walls. The spout may be rotated from this installation and removal position approximately three-quarters of a full circle so as to overlie the top wall in a position which is generally parallel with the other side wall. This latter position constitutes a storage position for the spout. The preferred embodiment is disclosed as a portable toilet of the type comprising a seat section which is separably mounted on the holding tank section. The two sections are constructed such that they cooperatively define a cavity forming a housing for the spout when the spout is in the storage position. In this way the spout is essentially concealed from view when the two sections are mounted together.
In order to dump the contents of the holding tank the two sections are separated and the spout is rotated away from its storage position to a position pointing away from the holding tank. The cap is removed, and the tank is tipped so that the waste contents are discharged from the far end of the spout.
In order to promote a smooth flowing discharge which is substantially immune from objectionable characteristics such as belching, a vent valve is provided on the wall of the holding tank for venting the interior head space during dumping. The disclosed embodiment of vent valve comprises a normally closed spring biased element with an actuator positioned adjacent to a gripping portion of the toilet so that when the toilet is gripped for dumping it is particularly convenient for the person to operate the vent valve actuator concurrent with the grasping and tipping of the holding tank. After the dumping procedure has been completed, the cap is screwed onto the spout, and the spout is returned to its storage position.
The foregoing features, advantages and benefits of the invention along with additional ones, will be seen in the ensuing description and claims which should be considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.
The drawings disclose a preferred embodiment of the invention according to the best mode contemplated at the present time in carrying out the invention.